From the ‘G’ to the Apple Isle: Jye Menzie urges politicians to back Mac Point Stadium

After four years at Essendon, the 22-year-old local young gun is about to transition from the Bombers to the Tasmania Devils, and even before he arrives back home he has a message to the state’s politicians who will soon decide the future of Macquarie Point Stadium.

“It’s a no brainer,” Menzie said.

“I can’t see any problems with it myself, but a lot of people have other views on it.

“But if I had my way, it would be starting to get built tomorrow.”

Menzie played 47 games and kicked 36 goals in his time at the Bombers, who let him go at the end of the 2025 season.

He was snapped up by the Devils as the club’s first signing ahead of their entry into the VFL in 2026.

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The Devils also added former Sydney Swans defender Robbie Fox, of Penguin, to their list this week, and another stand-out local talent Sarah Skinner, who has AFLW experience at Sydney and Western Bulldogs, as the first woman onto their VFLW list.

Menzie said there was a buzz about the Devils in Melbourne, but the stadium caveat hung like a black cloud.

“I don’t pay too much attention to it [the politics], but I do know ‘No stadium, No Team’,” he said.

“I just think it would be one of Tassie’s biggest stuff-ups if it didn’t go ahead.

“It’s such a great opportunity for all of the Tassie young fellas and girls out there who aspire to play AFL to give them a pathway, so I’d just say get it done.”

Menzie came through the same Devils junior football program that future Tasmanians can now use to make their way to the big time, only they won’t have to relocate to Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Adelaide or Perth.

After being a stand-out for the Devils in the Coates Talent League under-18 competition and North Hobart in the Tasmanian State League, Menzie’s AFL dream came true when Essendon grabbed him at pick 15 in the 2022 AFL Mid-Season Draft.

He made his AFL debut that year in round 20 against North Melbourne at Marvel Stadium, and kicked his first goal against Richmond at the MCG in round 23.

His best season was in 2023 when he played 21 games and kicked 23 goals.

Jye remembers the first day he walked into “The Hangar”.

“There were a lot of emotions,” he said.

“It was everything I had aspired to be growing up, so there was a lot of excitement and nerves and the feeling of the unknown about what’s going to happen.

“It was probably more excitement than anything because it was what I had worked so hard to do and I finally got there.”

The commitment needed to be an AFL player was a lesson in itself.

“It throws a lot of challenges at you, so it had its ups and downs,” he said.

“But it’s probably 90 per cent of Australian kids’ dream to play AFL so to be able to live out that, I’m obviously proud that was something I was able to achieve.

“Obviously, it has been cut short, but I’m hopeful of getting back to the top level because I know I have a lot to offer still.”

The main takeaway was application to the job.

“Probably just how consistent you have to be in doing what others would call the boring stuff,” he said.

“No matter how high up you go playing footy, you’ve got to do all the fundamentals well and you see the cream of the crop doing that.

“If you can do that over a long period of time, it pays dividends in the long run.”

Menzie quickly realised ascending to the AFL meant mixing it, and trying to match it, with the big guns.

“If you try to nullify a Nick Daicos [Collingwood], it’s almost impossible to do, and in terms of defenders, if Tom Stewart [Geelong] gets on top of you, he can kick-start their game from back there [defence],” Menzie said.

“Dane Zorko [Brisbane Lions] off half-back is always hard because he’s a rebound defender so he can get you the other way and if you are not paying attention he will make you pay.

“One minute you’re playing for North Hobart and next minute you’re standing next to someone who’s a household name - it’s pretty cool to be able to say I’ve done that.”

When Essendon dropped the bomb, Menzie was rapt to get the call from Tassie.

“I’m a Tassie boy and it’s exciting that they finally have a pathway now for younger kids to grow up and aspire to play in the VFL and VFLW,” he said.

“My family is in Hobart and a lot of my mates, so it will be good to see the club grow over time.”

Menzie is not done with AFL football – he is hopeful of getting picked up in this year’s AFL Draft, which would supersede his Devils contract.

“I’m 22-years-old and my best footy is still ahead of me,” he said.

“I’m hopeful of potentially getting back on a list – it could be this year, it could be next year and who knows, it could be down the track with the Tassie Devils.

“I’ve got a lot of good footy left in me and if I can get back on a list this year so be it.

“If not, I’m more than happy to play for my home state and be at the Devils again.”

james.bresnehan@news.com.au

Originally published as From the ‘G’ to the Apple Isle: Jye Menzie urges politicians to back Mac Point Stadium